Borrowings - Narrative (Details) (USD $) Share data in Millions, unless otherwise specified			3 Months Ended																						3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended								3 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2013	Sep. 30, 2013	Mar. 31, 2013 Senior Notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes 7 1/2% Senior Notes Maturing September 2021 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 7 1/2% Senior Notes Maturing September 2021 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Feb. 01, 2013 Senior Notes 7 1/4% Senior Notes Maturing February 2023 [Member]	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes 6.625% Senior Secured Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 6.625% Senior Secured Notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing May 2019	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing May 2019	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes 6 7/8% Senior Notes Maturing July 2015	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2018	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 9 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2018	Dec. 31, 2013 Senior Notes 8 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2016	Sep. 30, 2013 Senior Notes 8 1/8% Senior Notes Maturing June 2016	Jul. 17, 2012 Senior Notes Tangible Equity Units TEUs	Dec. 31, 2013 Junior Subordinated Notes	Sep. 30, 2013 Junior Subordinated Notes	Jan. 15, 2010 Junior Subordinated Notes	Jun. 15, 2006 Junior Subordinated Notes	Dec. 31, 2013 Cash Secured Loan	Sep. 30, 2013 Cash Secured Loan	Dec. 31, 2013 Other Secured Notes Payable	Sep. 30, 2013 Other Secured Notes Payable	Dec. 31, 2013 Secured Revolving Credit Facility	Sep. 30, 2013 Secured Revolving Credit Facility	Dec. 31, 2012 Secured Revolving Credit Facility	Dec. 31, 2013 Letter of Credit	Sep. 30, 2013 Letter of Credit	Dec. 31, 2013 Common Stock	Dec. 31, 2013 Optional Redemption Under Indenture [Member] Senior Notes 6 7/8% Senior Notes Maturing July 2015
Line of Credit Facility [Abstract]
Credit facility borrowing capacity																														$ 150,000,000	$ 22,000,000	$ 220,000,000
Amount of available borrowings under the Secured Revolving Credit Facility																													150,000,000
Inventory assets pledged as collateral																													1,000,000,000
Outstanding borrowings under the Secured Revolving Credit Facility																													0	0
Letters of credit secured using cash collateral																																24,700,000	25,200,000
Senior Notes [Abstract]
Beazer homes' ownership interest in guarantor subsidiaries (less than 10% in Inspirada Builders LLC)	100.00%
Minimum consolidated tangible net worth	85,000,000
Amount of original debt that could be repurchased				27,500,000
Consolidated tangible net worth	210,100,000									200,000,000
Aggregate principal amount of debt							200,000,000																75,000,000	103,100,000
Debt instrument stated interest rate (percent)						7.50%	7.50%	7.25%	7.25%	7.25%	6.625%	6.625%	9.125%	9.125%	6.875%	9.125%	9.125%	8.125%	8.125%	7.50%	7.987%
Loss on extinguishment of debt			(3,600,000)																							1,000,000
Outstanding debt instrument principal amount redeemed																	2,000,000									205,000,000
Debt Issuance Discount							98.541%
Tangible Capital [Abstract]
Tangible Equity Units (TEUs) issued during period, (units)																				4,600,000
Convertible Subordinated Debt [Abstract]
Number of common stock exchanged for debt (shares)																																		0.7
Junior Subordinated Notes [Abstract]
Effective period of debt instrument interest rate																					10 years
Debt instrument redemption price (percent)																																			101.146%
Unamortized accretion	4,970,000	5,160,000		4,970,000	5,160,000																46,600,000
Secured Debt [Abstract]
Three-month LIBOR																									LIBOR
Long-term debt	$ 1,516,255,000	$ 1,512,183,000		$ 1,415,136,000	$ 1,416,860,000																$ 54,187,000	$ 53,670,000			$ 22,368,000	$ 22,368,000	$ 24,564,000	$ 19,285,000
Weighted average fixed interest rate of debt (percent)																											4.02%
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate																									0.40%